Musetti beats Fritz for a spot in the semi-finals

In the day 10 of Wimbledon, after many days of rain, the roofs were open and the sun was shining, the sky was deep blue with floating white clouds.

For Court No. 1Lorenzo Musetti, the talented 22The -year-old Italian reached the first semifinal of the Grand Slam, winning 26– American ball Taylor Fritz in five sets, 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1in three hours and 27 minutes.

The stylish Italian, with his long brown hair peeking out from under his white ball cap and a tattoo of his heart activity with a tennis racket in the middle as “tennis is in his heartbeat”, made a start slow, descending quickly. 4-1 in the first set.

But he began to find his game, in all its creative variety: nimble shots, high-spinning lobs, cutting and turning over his beautiful one-handed, massive forehands.

Photo: KEYSTONE/AP/Mosa’ab Elshamy

Fritz, however, stayed close, with his impressive serve and forehand digging deep and winning the fourth set as Musetti seemed to have all the momentum.

In the fifth set, Musetti remained calm and composed and played perhaps his best set of tennis ever in the match of his life.

In his press conference after the match, Fritz said: “Yes, I think it was a difficult match. He played well in some really big spots. I don’t know. I did not serve as well as perhaps I should have or I think as well as I have been.

“Again, it was pretty windy today so I felt it was hard to get any pace or time or feel because it would constantly change every time I switched sides.

“He played particularly well in the fifth set.”

Fritz said: “When the roof is closed, the conditions are very good. There is no smell. You always know where the ball is going to be. You get into such a good rhythm.

“Now I’m playing with someone who cuts and moves the ball with the wind as well. It is difficult. I felt like maybe the biggest thing was when I was playing somebody that plays like him, I really have to be able to create and be able to generate power, like really determine where I want to hit the shot. I have to be very accurate because you won’t be able to hit the ball as hard from the dead parts.

“It is important to be able to be precise. It was just really hard to do, to be the one who’s trying to, like, attack and place the ball when I’m getting these slices that are just moving around before I hit them. I always move my legs. I feel like I need to be a lot better with the ball.

“I just made so many mistakes mainly in the third set because I just felt like it took too long to finish the point. I think it favors the person who wants to run and run in a bit of wind and works against the person who is trying to go big and pick spots. He did what he was doing very well.”

Musetti, in his post-match press conference, when asked about the incredible variety in his game, said: “That’s probably something I say I found more – how can I say – worse than the other guys don’t have every shot the same. Especially with a good base like Taylor, if you play flat every time, I can’t win a point.

“I mean, I’m playing his game. So maybe the strategy was to try and mix up every ball and try to lead the game. A certain point of the match I felt from the beginning, let’s say, to win every point. He was, shall we say, not in a good position with all my variation.

“It’s definitely something I’m really working on. Ever since I was a kid, I didn’t like doing the same things on the field, not being, let’s say, mono-automatic on the field. It’s probably a good help on the grass and I’m using it this week.”

About his next opponent – ​​seven-time Wimbledon singles champion Novak Djokovic – the Italian said: “Of course, I’ve played him many times on different stages, even on the big ones, like of course twice at the French Open. I beat him once in Monte Carlo. Then I lost everyone else.

“I have to say with Nole, I always end up with a lesson after the game. Of course, the last match was really an intense match from both players and a really stressful match.

“So what I have to say, against him you’re probably more stressed because he’s probably the best player ever or one of the best players ever.

“You walk onto the field with a different mindset. Like I said before, I think if I play a certain way, I can make my shot in the next round.”